Weber Beam Blockers

Have you ever noticed how your tone can appear to change depending on whether you’re listening directly in front of the speaker or standing off to one side? That’s because the higher frequencies, which radiate mostly from the speaker’s center, typically have a narrower dispersion pattern than the lower frequencies.

Have you ever noticed how your tone can appear to change depending on whether you’re listening directly in front of the speaker or standing off to one side? That’s because the higher frequencies, which radiate mostly from the speaker’s center, typically have a narrower dispersion pattern than the lower frequencies.

0

SHARES

Some players use the term “ice-pick highs” when referring to extreme cases of this high-frequency beaming phenomenon. Weber Beam Blockers can help control high-frequency beaming by absorbing and deflecting these piercing highs, resulting in a richer and more consistently balanced tone, regardless of listening position.

Weber Beam Blockers are available in three sizes to fit 10", 12", and 15" speakers ($15, $18, and $20 direct). Installation is easy—simply bolt the Beam Blocker’s steel strap in front of your speaker. A heavy paper dome (which is actually a dust cap that Weber borrows from its speaker component inventory) is glued to a steel center disc. A 4" diameter dome is standard, but you can order smaller or larger domes to fine-tune the Beam Blocker’s effectiveness.

Advertisement

My tests showed that the Beam Blockers are truly effective at reducing high-frequency beaming and ice-pick sting without killing the sonic vibe. I noticed a very slight reduction in apparent volume with the Beam Blockers, which leads me to conclude that the thick paper dome is absorbing, rather than deflecting, most of the highs. Since the sense of spatial dimension is also conveyed by the higher frequencies, there was also a slight loss of top-end swirl, complexity, and sparkle, although the overall frequency response was noticeably more balanced both on and off axis.